The present invention relates to a computational data processing system and to a computational process using such a system and, in particular, to a computational process used for the computation of molecular models.
For example, in such an application, for the processing of around 63 000 molecules, at a rate of 1 000 arrangements per molecule, the processing time may be as much as sixteen months on a single-processor machine.
To alleviate this drawback, use is made of a computational data processing system of the type comprising an assembly of networked computers in each of which is stored a computational application, and a data processing machine for storing computational data which is linked to the network and in communication with the computers.
One of the computers can be used in the guise of master computer, the other computers operating in the guise of slave computer.
This set-up allows a considerable reduction in the processing time. However, it is not acceptable in so far as in order to increase the processing speed it is necessary to increase the number of computers, thereby bringing about a prohibitive increase in cost.
Furthermore, the system must be completely reconfigured when one wishes to add computers to the system.
The aim of the invention is to alleviate this drawback.